I wrote about how we've been parenting in limbo over here, waiting for a diagnosis for my kinda-sorta-maybe special needs kid. Well, this is part one in the story of our search for that diagnosis... Lagging skills. That's the term they used to describe my girl when we took her to the first round of specialists. She doesn't understand boundaries. She doesn't give other people … [Read more...]
My Kid Has Special Needs, Sorta, Maybe
I am a pretty open book on this blog. I tell you guys a lot about my life and the lives of my family, but a large chunk that I've left out is how one of my kids has special needs. Maybe. Kinda. Sorta. See, I haven't said anything because we don't have a diagnosis. For several years now I've suspected that my youngest daughter is something. I've thought that maybe she was on … [Read more...]
What Lessons Can We Learn From Fairy Tales?
Fairy tales, in their telling, have long been a source of fond memories between parent and child. Many have inspired countless movies and toys, providing countless hours of entertainment and nostalgia. Given how widely known these stories are, it’s not surprising that numerous life lessons can be drawn from their tellings, many of which have helped children the world over as … [Read more...]
FREE Eyeglasses for kids ages 4 to 10, with Loblaw KIDS SEE FREE Program
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Loblaw. As always, my words and opinions are all my own. EDIT: I originally published this post in 2017. At that time all of the information was current and correct. As of January 2019, the Kids See Free program appears to have been put on hold. Calling and speaking to my local Theodore & Pringle optical centre I was told that the … [Read more...]
Fundraising Made Simple with FundScrip
Guys, I have happened upon the coolest fundraising system ever. Every year my kids' school does this Fall fundraiser where they sell frozen cookie dough and overpriced jewellery and knickknacks. The first few years I felt pressured to take part. Every purchase was a disappointment I felt guilty for having let my kids hand these catalogues over to their gullible … [Read more...]
Settling the Back to School Jitters with the Goodness of Goldfish
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Goldfish Crackers. All opinions are 100% mine. My kids were nervous about going back to school this year. Up until this point back to school season has always been a time of excitement in our household, but this year both of my kids were far more anxious and scared than they were excited. It caught me off guard. I was … [Read more...]
Adventures in Raising a Junior Mad Scientist…
I have long suspected that I am raising some kind of Pinky and the Brain style mad genius. My youngest daughter has a, well, let's say a scientific bend. I also strongly suspect that if she knew that "taking over the world" could be a life goal, she would SO be on it. Gigi digs gears and cogs, robots, and things that whir and go. She wants to take everything apart and … [Read more...]
Mom Guilt and the Magic of Childhood — Little is Enough
With Summer Break just starting I've been thinking back on how much I hated March Break this year. For about six years now, ever since my eldest first started school, I've watched on social media as other parents complained about summer break (or March break, or Christmas break, or whatever), saying how it drove them bats to have their kids home for x many days... but I just … [Read more...]
Three Tactics For Building Connections with Your Tween
Connecting with my tween-aged daughter is a top priority for me. I tell myself, almost daily, that if I can build strong connections with her now then maybe those teenage years won't be so bad. (Conversely, I also constantly tell myself, if I can't make it through a few eye rolls, the occasional "I hate you!" and the sporadic "you don't know anything" temper tantrums now, then … [Read more...]
Going Where My Banjo Girl Takes Me…
I spent last weekend in Michigan at a Banjo convention. Now you may be thinking, "Hey I didn't know you were a banjo fanatic!" Yeah, well the thing is I'm not. I am not the teeniest tiniest bit into banjos. However, my nine year old daughter, who all evidence points towards having been swapped at birth, is. She is banjo obsessed and has been for years. Banjo is her … [Read more...]
7 Tips to Fuel the Fun and Avoid March Break Meltdowns
My seven year old's current favourite phrase is, "I'm booooored." Her older sister, who normally never complains about being bored, has starting taking cues from her. They chime in, in stereo, "Bored. SO BORED. There is NOTHING TO DO. Mooooooom." My standard answer involves cleaning. If you are bored then you can tidy the toys off the floor in the front room, or you can put … [Read more...]
How Do you Choose the Right Shows and Movies for Your Kids?
The Jungle Book is on Netflix right now. You know, the newer, live action, version? It's a big deal because I don't know if I should let my six year old see it or not. The nine year old's already seen it (and she can't decide if she ever wants to see it again or not). In her words it is "bloody and scary and would be far too scary for Gigi". Do any of you have kids in … [Read more...]
Five Calm Down Activities For When the Kids Are Getting A Little Too Crazy
At the end of our long Christmas Day, as we drove away from his parents place, my husband declared, "Well, that's it. Christmas is officially now over, girls." The kids, however, were quick to point out that this wasn't the end of their Christmas, not even close. For them Christmas Day simply marked beginning of a two week long holiday from school. The nine year old squealed … [Read more...]
Instagram: A Magical Window into My Daughter’s Kindergarten Classroom
When my eldest daughter started kindergarten I was a mess. I waffled back and forth on whether we would enroll her in Junior Kindergarten at all, and once she did start attending I was, predictably, a nervous wreck. I was dying to know the details of what she did all day, and she wasn't sharing. "You weren't there, so you can't know." she would say, looking at me with a puzzled … [Read more...]
5 Important Things I Wish I Had Known Before Choosing a Car Seat, or Everything You Need to Know About Car Seat Expiry Dates
Did you know your kid's car seat has an expiry date on it? Car seat usage sure has changed over the years. Kids need to be in a car seat or a booster for eight to twelve years, a.k.a. approximately forever, now-a-days. When I was a kid car seats were strictly for infants, and once you moved out of the baby seat you were free to roam the vehicle, seat belts sometimes optional. … [Read more...]